Gaming Machine Limiting Output Conversation Voice And Control Method Thereof

ABSTRACT

A gaming machine generates and outputs a reply sentence in accordance with a player voice recognized, executes a first game based on an operation of a player, and executes a second game that is executed so that each player can take part in the second game simultaneously, when a result of the first game meets a predetermined condition. When the first game is executed, the gaming machine prohibits an output of the reply sentence. When the second game is executed, the gaming machine outputs the reply sentence.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority from provisional application No.61/028,335, which was filed on Feb. 13, 2008, the entire disclosure ofwhich is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a gaming machine that has a plurality of gamesand limits an output conversation voice in a predetermined game and acontrol method thereof.

2. Description of Related Art

There are many conventional gaming machines that improve anentertainment characteristic, such as slot machine, dice game, rouletteand the like. For example, a slot machine disclosed in a U.S. Pat. No.6,604,999B2, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002065124A1 or U.S. PatentPublication No. 20040053676A1 pays out the predetermined number of gamemedia when symbols stopped on a winning line constitute a predeterminedcombination. In such a slot machine, an effect is performed which causesan expectation for a payout of a game medium. For example, a backgroundimage is changed or various characters are enabled to show up, therebycausing a player to expect a win. Like this, an effect of causing aplayer to have an expectation and the like is a main factor ofincreasing an entertainment characteristic of a gaming machine.

However, the effect as described above is not new, so that it isimpossible to provide a player with an unexpectation.

In the meantime, U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 20070094007, 20070094008,20070094005 and 20070094004 disclose conversation control devicescapable of sequentially outputting to a user a story or topic having aseries of streams prepared in advance while responding to utterancecontents of the user.

An object of the invention is to provide a gaming machine in which theabove conversation control device is provided to output to a player areply sentence corresponding to a change of a game value, which isaccompanied with a game, with respect to utterance contents of theplayer, thereby providing an entertainment characteristic that has notbeen provided to the prior art, and a control method of the gamingmachine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a gaming machine including: a conversationgeneration device that recognizes a player voice and generates a replysentence based on the recognized voice; a plurality of gaming terminalseach of which has an input device to which a voice is inputted and anoutput device that outputs a voice; a first game that is executed basedon an operation of each player in each of the gaming terminals; a secondgame that is executed so that the respective players are able toparticipate in the second game at the same time; and a controller thatis programmed to operate as described in the following steps of (a1) to(a4).

Specifically, the controller operates:

(a1) to execute the first game;

(a2) to execute the second game only in the gaming terminal in which anexecution result of the first game has met a predetermined condition;

(a3) when the first game is executed, to prohibit an output of the replysentence by the conversation generation device; and

(a4) when the second game is executed, in the event that the playervoice is inputted to the input device, to enable the conversationgeneration device to generate the reply sentence based on the playervoice, and to output the reply sentence as a voice from the outputdevice of the gaming terminal to which the player voice is inputted.

According to the above structure, a first game is executed, based on anoperation of each player in each of gaming terminals. When an executionresult of the first game meets a predetermined condition, a second gameis executed in which each player is able to participate simultaneously.When the first game is executed, a reply sentence relating to a playervoice recognized by a conversation generation device is prohibited frombeing outputted. When the second game is executed, the conversationgeneration device is enabled to generate a reply sentence relating tothe voice and the reply sentence is outputted as a voice from an outputdevice of a gaming terminal to which the player voice is inputted.

Thus, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where the second game is executed. As a result, sinceit is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which the gamingmachine is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence based on a playervoice is outputted.

The invention provides a gaming machine including: a determinationdevice that recognizes a player voice and determines a language type ofthe player from the voice recognized; a conversation generation devicethat generates a reply sentence according to the language type, based onthe player voice; a plurality of gaming terminals each of which has aninput device to which a voice is inputted and an output device thatoutputs a voice; a first game that is executed based on an operation ofeach player in each of the gaming terminals; a second game that isexecuted so that the each player is able to participate in the secondgame simultaneously; and a controller that is programmed to operate asdescribed in the following steps of (b1) to (b4).

Specifically, the controller operates:

(b1) to execute the first game;

(b2) to execute the second game only in the gaming terminal in which anexecution result of the first game has met a predetermined condition;

(b3) when the first game is executed, to prohibit an output of the replysentence by the conversation generation device; and

(b4) when the second game is executed, in the event that the playervoice is inputted to the input device, to enable the determinationdevice to determine a language type of the player from the voiceinputted, and the conversation generation device to generate the replysentence according to the language type of the player, based on thevoice, and to output the reply sentence as a voice from the outputdevice of the gaming terminal to which the player voice is inputted.

According to the above structure, a first game is executed, based on anoperation of each player in each of gaming terminals. When an executionresult of the first game meets a predetermined condition, a second gameis executed in which the each player is able to participatesimultaneously. When the first game is executed, a reply sentencerelating to a player voice recognized by a conversation generationdevice is prohibited from being outputted. When the second game isexecuted, the determination device is enabled to determine a languagetype of the player from the voice and the conversation generation deviceis enabled to generate a reply sentence according to the language typeof the player, based on the voice, and the reply sentence is outputtedas a voice from an output device of a gaming terminal to which theplayer voice is inputted.

Thus, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where the second game is executed, and the replaysentence is outputted in the language type of the player. As a result,since it is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which thegaming machine is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence is outputted in thelanguage type of the player with respect to the player voice.

The invention provides a gaming machine including: a determinationdevice that recognizes a player voice and determines a language type ofthe player from the voice recognized; a conversation generation devicethat generates a reply sentence according to the language type, based onthe player voice; a setting device that sets a predetermined languagetype in advance; a translation device that translates the language typeinto the predetermined language type; a plurality of gaming terminalseach of which has a display device that displays an image, an inputdevice to which a voice is inputted and an output device that outputs avoice; a first game that is executed based on an operation of eachplayer in each of the gaming terminals; a second game that is executedso that the each player is able to participate in the second gamesimultaneously; and a controller that is programmed to operate asdescribed in the following steps of (c1) to (c5).

Specifically, the controller operates:

(c1) to execute the first game;

(c2) to execute the second game only in the gaming terminal in which anexecution result of the first game has met a predetermined condition;

(c3) when the first game is executed, to prohibit an output of the replysentence by the conversation generation device;

(c4) when the second game is executed, in the event that the playervoice is inputted to the input device, to enable the determinationdevice to determine a language type of the player from the voiceinputted, and to enable the translation device to translate the playervoice into the predetermined language type and to display it on thedisplay device when the language type of the player determined isdifferent from the predetermined language type; and

(c5) to enable the conversation generation device to generate the replysentence according to the language type of the player, based on theplayer voice, to output the reply sentence as a voice from the outputdevice of the gaming terminal to which the player voice is inputted, toenable the translation device to translate the reply sentence and todisplay it on the display device.

According to the above structure, a first game is executed, based on anoperation of each player in each of gaming terminals. When an executionresult of the first game meets a predetermined condition, a second gameis executed in which the each player is able to participatesimultaneously. When the first game is executed, a reply sentencerelating to a player voice recognized by a conversation generationdevice is prohibited from being outputted. When the second game isexecuted, the determination device is enabled to determine a languagetype of the player from the voice, and when the language type of theplayer determined is different from a predetermined language type, atranslation device is enabled to translate the player voice into thepredetermined language type that is then displayed on a display device.The conversation generation device is enabled to generate a replysentence according to the language type of the player based on thevoice, and the reply sentence is (I) outputted as a voice from an outputdevice of a gaming terminal to which the player voice is inputted, (II)translated by the translation device and then (III) displayed on thedisplay device.

Thus, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where the second game is executed, and the replaysentence is outputted in the language type of the player. As a result,since it is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which thegaming machine is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence is outputted in thelanguage type of the player with respect to the player voice.

In addition, when a language type of a player is different from apredetermined language type, a player voice and a reply sentence to theplayer voice are translated and displayed on a display device. As aresult, it is possible to further improve a new entertainmentcharacteristic.

The invention provides a control method of a gaming machine using aconversation generation device that recognizes a player voice andgenerates a reply sentence based on the recognized voice; a plurality ofgaming terminals each of which has an input device to which a voice isinputted and an output device that outputs a voice; a first game that isexecuted based on an operation of each player in each of the gamingterminals; and a second game that is executed so that the respectiveplayers are able to participate in the second game at the same time, themethod including the steps of: executing the first game; executing thesecond game only in the gaming terminal in which an execution result ofthe first game has met a predetermined condition; when the first game isexecuted, prohibiting an output of the reply sentence by theconversation generation device; and when the second game is executed, inthe event that the player voice is inputted to the input device,enabling the conversation generation device to generate the replysentence based on the player voice, and outputting the reply sentence asa voice from the output device of the gaming terminal to which theplayer voice is inputted.

According to the control method, a first game is executed, based on anoperation of each player in each of gaming terminals. When an executionresult of the first game meets a predetermined condition, a second gameis executed in which the each player is able to participatesimultaneously. When the first game is executed, a reply sentencerelating to a player voice recognized by a conversation generationdevice is prohibited from being outputted. When the second game isexecuted, the conversation generation device is enabled to generate areply sentence relating to the voice and the reply sentence is outputtedas a voice from an output device of a gaming terminal to which theplayer voice is inputted.

Thus, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where the second game is executed. As a result, sinceit is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which the gamingmachine is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence based on a playervoice is outputted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an operating state of a gaming machine;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a gaming machine;

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing an outlined structure ofa gaming machine;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a roulette wheel;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system of agaming machine;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system of astation;

FIG. 7 shows a slot payout management table;

FIG. 8 shows a roulette payout management table;

FIG. 9 shows a station management table;

FIG. 10 illustrates a display state of an image display device;

FIG. 11 illustrates a display state of an image display device;

FIG. 12 illustrates a display state of an image display device;

FIG. 13 is a flow chart of a first game process routine that isperformed in a station;

FIG. 14 is a flow chart of a second game process routine that isperformed in a station;

FIG. 15 is a flow chart of a second game process routine that isperformed in a server; and

FIG. 16 is a flow chart of a conversation control process routine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 1 to 16.

A gaming machine has a first game and a second game that is differentfrom the first game and is executed so that each player can take part inthe second game at the same time. The gaming machine is structured tohave a conversation only in the second game. In other words, the gamingmachine includes a conversation generation device that recognizes aplayer voice and generates a reply sentence based on the voicerecognized; a plurality of gaming terminals each of which has an inputdevice to which a voice is inputted and an output device that outputs avoice; a first game that is executed based on an operation of eachplayer in each of the gaming terminals; a second game that is executedso that the respective players are able to participate in the secondgame at the same time; and a controller that is programmed to operate asdescribed in the following steps of (a1) to (a4).

To be more specific, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a gaming machine 101includes a conversation generation unit 140 functioning as aconversation generation device that recognizes a player voice andgenerates a reply sentence in accordance with the voice recognized; aplurality of terminal devices 102 (stations 4) each of which has a voiceinput unit 121 (microphone 16) functioning as an input device to which avoice is inputted and a voice output unit 122 (speaker 10) functioningas an output device that outputs a voice; a first game execution unit132 that executes a first game based on an operation of each player ineach of the terminal devices 102; a second game execution unit 133(roulette unit 3) that executes a second game so that each player cantake part in the second game, only in a terminal device 102 in which anexecution result of the first game has met a predetermined condition;and a conversation prohibition unit 143 that prohibits an output of areply sentence by the conversation generation unit 140 when the firstgame is executed. When the second game is executed, in the event that aplayer voice is inputted to the voice input unit 121, the conversationgeneration unit 140 generates a reply sentence based on the playervoice. The voice output unit 122 outputs the reply sentence as a voicein the terminal device 102 to which the player voice is inputted.

A controller 130 is configured to execute a program that operates asdescribed in the followings steps of (a1) to (a4). Specifically, in thestep of (a1), the controller executes a first game. In the step of (a2),the controller executes a second game, only in a terminal device 102 inwhich an execution result of the first game has met a predeterminedcondition. In the step of (a3), when the first game is executed, thecontroller prohibits an output of a reply sentence by the conversationgeneration unit 140. In the step of (a4), when the second game isexecuted, in the event that a player voice is inputted to the voiceinput unit 121, the controller enables the conversation generation unit140 to generate a reply sentence based on the player voice, and outputsthe reply sentence as a voice from the voice output unit 122 of theterminal device 102 to which the player voice is inputted.

Thus, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where the second game is executed. As a result, sinceit is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which the gamingmachine 101 is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence based on a playervoice is outputted.

Here, the “gaming machine 101” is a machine type having both anindependent game (first game) and a multi-participant type game (secondgame). The independent gaming machine may include, for example a slotmachine. The multi-participant type may include, for example a machinethat executes a roulette game, a horse race game, a motorboat race game,a bicycle race game and the like, on condition that many players takepart in the game. The “gaming machine 101” may be such a type thatgaming machines such as slot machine in which one player takes part in agame are associated with each other in data communication manner,thereby constituting a multi-participant type gaming machine. Inaddition, the “gaming machine 101” may have such a structure that eachplayer can independently play a game in a machine type in which manyplayers can take part in a game.

As described above, the “first game” is an independent game and the“second game” is a multi-participant type game. In addition, the “firstgame” and the “second game” may be a game that is executed by amechanical operation, a game that is executed by an electrical operationor a game that is executed by a combination of mechanical and electricaloperations. The game to be executed by a mechanical operation mayinclude a game using a roulette unit 3 that rotates or moves a ball orwheel that is actually made. The game to be executed by an electricaloperation may include a game that displays an image of a ball or wheelon a display device such as liquid crystal display, thereby virtuallyrotating or moving it.

The “terminal device 102” may be a game-dedicated terminal device(station 4) or an information processing device such as universalpersonal computer, as long as it can receive an input by a player forthe purpose of a game execution and award a payout. The “image data” maybe still image data or moving image data. In addition, the contents ofthe image data are the number of the terminal device 102, an input (bet)area, game information, an effect image and the like. The “displaydevice 124” may be provided in each of the terminal devices 102 or maybe a large screen display common to all the terminal devices 102. Forexample, the display device 104 may include a liquid crystal displaydevice, a CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) device, a plasma display device and thelike.

The “execution result of a game” is a state in which a winning can bemade by execution of a unit game. In this embodiment, the “executionresult of a game” may be also referred to as a “game result.” Forexample, for a roulette game in which a ball is rolled on a wheel, amark attached to the wheel, which corresponds to a stop position of theball, is an execution result. For a slot game, a stop aspect of symbolsrearranged is an execution result. In the meantime, the “rearrangement”means arranging the symbols again after dismissing the arrangement ofthe symbols. The “arrangement” means a state in which the symbols areallowed to be visible with naked eyes of an exterior player.

The “unit game” is a series of operations from a reception state (bettime) of an input (bet) to a state (game time, payout time) in which awinning can be made. For example, for a roulette game, the unit gameincludes a bet time for which a bet is received, a game time for which aball is rolled and then stopped and a payout time of a payout process inwhich a game value is awarded as a payout. In addition, for example, fora slot game, the unit game includes a bet time, a game time for which asymbol is variably displayed and then stopped and a payout time of apayout process in which a game value is awarded as a payout.

The “game value” includes a medal, a coin, a gaming ball, money, bill, amagnetic card and the like. A “base payout” is a payout that is awardedbased on an execution result of a game and a game value bet. Forexample, for a roulette game, the base payout is a payout that isdetermined on the basis of a payout rate, which is set for a bet areacorresponding to a mark (win mark) corresponding to a stop position of aball after rolling the ball in a roulette unit, and a game value, whichis a bet-number bet on the bet area.

The gaming machine 101 structured as described above executes a controlmethod including the steps of: executing a first game; executing asecond game only in a gaming terminal in which an execution result ofthe first game has met a predetermined condition; when the first game isexecuted, prohibiting an output of a reply sentence by a conversationgeneration device; and when the second game is executed, in the eventthat a player voice is inputted to a voice input unit 121, enabling aconversation generation unit 140 to generate a reply sentence based onthe player voice, and outputting the reply sentence as a voice from avoice output unit 122 of a gaming terminal to which the player voice isinputted.

Thus, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where the second game is executed. As a result, sinceit is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which the gamingmachine 101 is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence based on a playervoice is outputted.

In addition, the gaming machine 101 is structured to determine alanguage type of a player voice and to generate a reply sentence realignto the language type. In other words, as shown in FIG. 2, the gamingmachine 101 further has a language type determination unit 149 thatdetermines a language type of a player from the voice and a controller103 that is programmed to operate as described in the following steps of(b1) to (b4).

In the step of (b1), the controller executes a first game. In the stepof (b2), the controller executes a second game only in a gaming terminal102 in which an execution result of the first game has met apredetermined condition. In the step of (b3), when the first game isexecuted, the controller prohibits an output of a reply sentence by theconversation generation unit 140, through the conversation prohibitionunit 143. In the step of (b4), when the second game is executed, in theevent that the player voice is inputted to the voice input unit 121, thecontroller enables the language type determination unit 149 to determinea language type of a player from the voice and the conversationgeneration unit 140 to generate a reply sentence according to thelanguage type of the player, based on the voice, and outputs the replysentence as a voice from the voice output unit 122 of the gamingterminal 102 to which the player voice is inputted.

Thus, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where the second game is executed, and the replaysentence is outputted in the language type of the player. As a result,since it is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which thegaming machine is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence is outputted in thelanguage type of the player with respect to the player voice.

In addition, the gaming machine 101 is structured in such a manner thatwhen a player voice is different from a predetermined language type, ittranslates the player voice into a predetermined language type presetand displays it. In addition, the gaming machine is structured in such amanner that when a language type of a player voice is different from apredetermined language type, it translates a reply sentence thereof intoa predetermined language type and displays it. In other words, as shownin FIG. 2, the gaming machine 101 further has a language type settingunit 148 that sets a predetermined language type in advance, atranslation unit 146 that translates a player voice and a reply sentenceinto the predetermined language type, a display device 124 that displaysthe translated player voice and the translated reply sentence, and acontroller 103 that is programmed to operate as described in thefollowings steps of (c1) to (c5).

In the step of (c1), the controller executes a first game. In the stepof (c2), the controller executes a second game only in a gaming terminal102 in which an execution result of the first game has met apredetermined condition. In the step of (c3), when the first game isexecuted, the controller prohibits an output of a reply sentence by theconversation generation unit 140. In the step of (c4), when the secondgame is executed, in the event that a player voice is inputted to thevoice input unit 121, the controller enables the language typedetermination unit 149 to determine a language type of the player fromthe voice inputted, and to enable the translation unit 146 to translatethe player voice into a predetermined language type and to display it onthe display device when the language type of the player determined isdifferent from the predetermined language type. In the step of (c5), thecontroller enables the conversation generation unit 140 to generate areply sentence according to the language type of the player, based onthe player voice, outputs the reply sentence as a voice from the voiceoutput unit 122 of the gaming terminal 102 to which the player voice isinputted, enables the translation unit 146 to translate the replysentence and displays it on the display device 124.

Thus, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where the second game is executed, and the replaysentence is outputted in the language type of the player. As a result,since it is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which thegaming machine is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence is outputted in thelanguage type of the player with respect to the player voice.

In addition, when a language type of a player is different from apredetermined language type, a player voice and a reply sentence to theplayer voice are translated and displayed on a display device. As aresult, it is possible to further improve a new entertainmentcharacteristic.

(Structure of the Controller 103)

As shown in FIG. 2, the gaming machine 101 includes many terminaldevices 102 and a controller 103.

Each of the terminal devices 102 has a voice input unit 121, a voiceoutput unit 122, an input device 123 and a display device 124.

The voice input unit 121 is structured in such a manner that it isinputted with a player voice and transmits the inputted voice to thecontroller 103, as digital data. The voice output unit 122 is structuredto output the digital data transmitted from the controller 103 to theoutside, as a voice. The input device 123 is structured to receive anoperation of a player and to transmit it to the controller 103, as anoperation signal. The display device 124 displays the number of theterminal device 102, an input (bet) area, game information, an effectimage and the like.

The controller 103 includes an input contents memory 131, a first gameexecution unit 132, a first game result memory 133, a first game payoutmemory 134, a first game result determination unit 135, a second gameexecution unit 136, a second game result memory 137, a second gamepayout award unit 138, a first display control unit 139, a conversationgeneration unit 140, a conversation data memory 141, an input voicememory 142, a conversation prohibition unit 143 and a second displaycontrol unit 145.

The input contents memory 131 is associated with the input device 123.The input contents memory 131 has functions of receiving an operationsignal from the input device 123 operated by a player and storing theoperation contents included in the operation signal.

The first game execution unit 132 has functions of acquiring theoperation contents of a player, which are stored in the input contentsmemory 131, and executing a first game based on the operation contents.When the first game includes a game to be executed by a mechanicaloperation, the first game execution unit 132 functions as a controlmeans that controls the mechanical operation.

The first game result memory 133 has a function of storing an executionresult of the first game that is executed by the first game executionunit 132. Here, the result of the game may be an execution result of agame that is executed by the first game execution unit 132 based on theoperation contents inputted by an operation of a player, or an executionresult of a comparison of an execution result of the first gameexecution unit 132 and operation contents of a player.

The first game payout award unit 134 has a function of awarding a payoutto a player, based on a result of a first game, which is stored in thefirst game result memory 133. For example, when a result of a gameconforms to a predetermined result, a game value as a payout is awardedto a player.

The first game result determination unit 135 has a function ofdetermining whether a result of a first game, which is stored in thefirst game result memory 133, satisfies a predetermined condition. Forexample, the predetermined condition may relate to any of a unitgame-number, a payout, operation contents of a player and the like.

The second game execution unit 136 has a function of executing a secondgame, based on a determination result of the first game resultdetermination unit 135. In other words, when a result of a first gamesatisfies a predetermined condition, the second game execution unit 136executes a second game. When a second game includes a game to beexecuted by a mechanical operation, the second game execution unit 136functions as a control means that controls the mechanical operation.

The second game result memory 137 has a function of storing a result ofa first game that is executed by the second game execution unit 136.Here, the result of the game may be an execution result of a game thatis executed by the second game execution unit 136 based on the operationcontents inputted by an operation of a player, or an execution result ofa comparison of a result of a game executed by the second game executionunit 136 and operation contents.

The second game payout award unit 138 has a function of awarding apayout to a player, based on a result of a second game, which is storedin the second game result memory 137. For example, when a result of agame conforms to a predetermined result, a game value as a payout isawarded to a player.

The display control unit 139 is associated with the display device 124.The display control unit 139 has a function of displaying an input (bet)area, game information, an effect image and the like on the displaydevice 124, based on execution contents of a first game and a secondgame. In addition, although not shown, the display control unit maydisplay information based on the first game result memory 133 and thesecond game result memory 137, or may display information based onpayouts that are awarded by the first game payout award unit 134 and thesecond game payout award unit 138.

The input voice memory 142 is associated with the voice input unit 121.The input voice memory 142 has a function of storing a voice inputted tothe voice input unit 121, as digital data. The conversation generationunit 140 is associated with the voice output unit 122. The conversationgeneration unit 140 analyzes a voice signal stored in the input voicememory 142 and generates a reply sentence based on the voice signal. Inthe conversation data memory 141, voice recognition dictionary datacorresponding to voices to be inputted to the voice input unit 121 anddata of candidates of reply sentences corresponding to voices inputtedare correspondingly stored. In other words, the conversation generationunit 140 is structured to acquire a voice signal from the input voicememory 142 in which a voice signal inputted to the voice input unit 121is stored, to compare the voice signal with the voice recognitiondictionary data stored in the conversation data memory 141 and togenerate reply sentence data from the candidate data of a reply sentencethat is made to correspond to a result of the comparison.

The conversation prohibition unit 143 has functions of acquiring acurrent game situation from the first game execution unit 132 andprohibiting the conversation generation unit 140 from generating a replysentence, when a first game is being executed, as a result of theacquirement. Thereby, except a case where a first game is executed, theconversation generation unit 140 generates a reply sentence and thereply sentence is outputted from the voice output unit 122, as a voice.

In the meantime, although it is determined whether a first game is beingexecuted from the first game execution unit, it may be possible that itis determined whether a second game is being executed from the secondgame execution unit and it is determined that a timing except a casewhere a second game is being executed is a timing at which a first gameis being executed. In this case, only when a second game is beingexecuted, the conversation generation unit 140 generates a replysentence and the reply sentence is outputted from the voice output unit122, as a voice.

In addition, the controller 103 may have a language type determinationunit 149, a language type setting unit 148, a translation unit 146 and atranslation data memory 147.

The language type determination unit 149 determines which language typean utterance voice of a player inputted to the voice input unit 121 is,based on a voice signal stored in the input voice memory 142. Theconversation generation unit 140 may be structured to generate a replysentence to a player, based on the language type determined by thelanguage type determination unit 149.

The language type setting unit 148 stores a predetermined language typethat is preset. The language type may be set through an input device(not shown) to the controller 103 by an outside operation, or may be setthrough a communication line network (not shown).

The translation unit 146 is structured to translate a voice signalresulting from a player utterance, which is stored in the input voicememory 142, and a reply sentence generated by the conversationgeneration unit 140 into a language type set in the language typesetting unit 148. The translation unit 146 may be structured withseveral units, correspondingly to each of language types. In addition,the display device 124 is structured to display the player utterance andthe reply sentence, which are translated by the translation unit 146.

The translation data memory 147 stores data that the translation unit146 translates. The translation data memory 147 may be structured withseveral units, correspondingly to each of language types.

Each block of the controller 103 may be embodied in hardware orsoftware, as required.

(Operations of the Gaming Machine 1)

With the above structure, an operation of the controller 103 will bedescribed.

First, a player inputs an operation to the input device 123. Theoperation contents are transmitted and stored in the input contentsmemory 131, as an operation signal. The first game execution unit 132acquires the operation contents of a player stored in the input contentsmemory 131. The first game execution unit 132 executes a first game,based on the operation contents. The situation of the first game isappropriately transmitted to the display control unit 139 and isdisplayed as an image on the display device 124 of the terminal device102 with which a player plays a game.

Meantime, when the first game execution unit 132 executes the firstgame, the conversation prohibition unit 143 prohibits the conversationgeneration unit 140 from generating a reply sentence.

The first game execution unit 132 transmits an execution result of thefirst game to the first game result memory 133. After that, the firstgame payout award unit 134 awards a payout of the first game to aplayer, based on the execution result of the first game stored in thefirst game result memory 133.

In addition, the first game result determination unit 135 determineswhether the result of the first game stored in the first game resultmemory 133 satisfies a predetermined condition. When the result of thefirst game does not satisfy a predetermined condition, a unit game ofthe first game is re-executed. In the meantime, when the result of thefirst game satisfies a predetermined condition, the second gameexecution unit 136 executes a second game in which each player can takepart at the same time. In other words, only a player satisfying apredetermined condition in a first game can take part in a second game.A situation of the second game is appropriately transmitted to thedisplay control unit 139 and is displayed as an image on the displaydevice 124 of the terminal device 102 with which a player plays a game.

The second game execution unit 136 stores a result of a second game inthe second game result memory 137. The second game payout award unit 138awards a payout of a second game to a player, based on a result of asecond game stored in the second game result memory 137.

In the meantime, when the second game execution unit 136 executes asecond game, in the event that a player voice is inputted to the voiceinput unit 121 in the terminal device 102, the player voice is stored asa voice signal in the input voice memory 142. The conversationgeneration unit 140 generates reply sentence data relating to the playervoice, based on a voice signal stored in the input voice memory 142 anddata stored in the conversation data memory 141. After that, the replysentence is outputted as a voice based on the generated reply sentencedata from the voice output unit 122.

Thus, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where the second game is executed. As a result, sinceit is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which the gamingmachine 101 is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence based on a playervoice is outputted.

In addition, the language type determination unit 149 determines alanguage type of the voice signal of a player stored in the input voicememory 142. The conversation generation unit 140 generates a replysentence in a language type determined.

Thus, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where the second game is executed, and the replaysentence is outputted in the language type of the player. As a result,since it is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which thegaming machine is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence is outputted in thelanguage type of the player with respect to the player voice.

In addition, a predetermined language type is preset in the languagetype setting unit 148 by a manager of the gaming machine 101. When alanguage type of a player determined by the language type determinationunit 146 is different from the predetermined language type, thetranslation unit 146 translates the player voice into the predeterminedlanguage type. Furthermore, the translation unit 146 translates thereply sentence generated from the conversation generation unit 140 intothe predetermined language type. The player voice and the reply sentencetranslated by the translation unit 146 are displayed on the displaydevice 124.

Thus, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where the second game is executed, and the replaysentence is outputted in the language type of the player. As a result,since it is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which thegaming machine is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence is outputted in thelanguage type of the player with respect to the player voice.

In addition, when a language type of a player is different from apredetermined language type, a player voice and a reply sentence to theplayer voice are translated and displayed on a display device. As aresult, it is possible to further improve a new entertainmentcharacteristic.

(Mechanical Structure: Schematic Structure)

In the followings, it will be specifically described a case where thegaming machine 101 is applied to a gaming machine 1. FIG. 3 is anexternal perspective view showing a schematic structure of a gamingmachine 1 according to an embodiment. The gaming machine 1 has a cabinet2, a roulette unit 3, stations 4 and an electric light indicator 5. Thecabinet 2 fixes the roulette unit 3, the stations 4 and the electriclight indicator 5 at predetermined positions and protects a deviceequipped therein such as electronic substrate. The gaming machine 1executes a slot game as a first game and executes a roulette game as asecond game.

The roulette unit 3 is disposed about at a central part of an uppersurface of the cabinet 2. The stations 4 correspond to the terminaldevices 102 of FIG. 2 and are disposed around the roulette unit 3. To bemore specific, the 12 stations 4 are disposed to surround the rouletteunit 3. The station 4 functions as a bet unit for receiving a betoperation of a player and a payout unit for paying out a medal. The betoperation is an operation that a player expecting a win number of theroulette unit 3 inputs the contents such as number corresponding to theexpected win number.

The electric light indicator 5 has a JP amount indicator 15. The JPamount indicator 15 is mounted on a top of the electric light indicator5. Thereby, the JP amount indicator 15 allows all players who play agame in the stations 4 to see the contents of display with naked eyes.

The JP amount indicator 15 displays a jackpot (JP) amount that is aspecial payout. Here, the gaming machine 1 accumulates 0.5% of creditsthat are bet in a roulette game using a BET screen in the twelvestations 4 and stores the accumulated credit as a jackpot. The credit ofthe jackpot is paid out to a predetermined station 4 when a specialpayout is made. Meanwhile, the “win” means that a winning is made.

In addition, the gaming machine 1 has a server 13. The server 13corresponds to the controller 103 of FIG. 2. The server 13 is disposedat a corner part 12 of the cabinet 2. The server 13 is received in aninner space of the corner part 12. The inner space of the corner part 12can be opened/shut by means of a corner door 14 having an authenticationkey attached. The corner door 14 is typically shut so that a playercannot operate the server 13. In the meantime, in the operation of theserver 13, the corner door 14 is opened by operating an authenticationkey. Thereby, the server 13 is operated from the outside of the cabinet2, so that the gaming machine 1 can be variously set.

(Mechanical Structure: Roulette Unit 3)

A structure of the roulette unit 3 will be described with reference toFIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the roulette unit 3 according to anembodiment. The roulette unit 3 includes a frame 21 fixed to the cabinet2 and a wheel 22 disposed at an inner side of the frame 21. As shown inFIG. 3, an entire upper part of the roulette unit 3 is covered by meansof a hemisphere cover member 28 made of transparent acryl.

As shown in FIG. 4, the wheel 22 is received in the frame 21 and itsupper surface is exposed to the outside. The wheel 22 is horizontallydisposed so that a center axis of rotation thereof is identical to avertical direction, and is supported to freely rotate so that a centerpoint thereof is a rotation center. The wheel 22 has many numberedpockets 23 (38 pockets in this embodiment). The numbered pockets 23 aredisposed in a ring shape at a periphery of an upper surface of the wheel22. Each of the numbered pockets 23 is shaped in a recess shape having asize and a depth capable of receiving a ball 27.

Further, the wheel 22 has many numbered display plates 25. The numbereddisplay plates 25 are set same as the numbered pockets 23. The numbereddisplay plates 25 display each number of “00,” “0” and “1” to “36” asfigure letters. Each of the numbered display plates 25 is disposed atthe periphery of the respective numbered pockets 23. Thereby, thenumbered pockets 23 are given with any number of “00,” “0” and “1” to“36” of the numbered display plates 25.

The frame 21 that the wheel 22 is disposed at the center of the frame isinclined downward at a small degree from the periphery to the wheel 22.The frame 21 has a guide wall 29. The guide wall 29 is disposed betweenthe periphery of the frame 21 and the wheel 22. The guide wall 29 guidesan inserted ball 27 against centrifugal force, thereby allowing the ball28 to roll.

In addition, the frame 21 has a ball insertion slot 36. The ballinsertion slot 36 is opened to the wheel 22. The ball insertion slot 36is associated with a ball insertion device (not shown) that is equippedin the frame 21. The ball insertion device is structured to insert theball 27 from the ball insertion slot 36 onto the wheel 22.

Further, the roulette unit 3 has a win determining device 86 of FIG. 5and a ball collection device (not shown). The win determining device 86and the ball collection device are disposed below the wheel 22. The windetermining device 86 is a device for determining the numbered pocket 23into which the ball 27 is received. Further, the roulette unit 3 has theball collection device that is not shown. The ball collection device isa device for collecting the ball 27 on the wheel 22 after a roulettegame is over. In the meantime, since the ball insertion device, the windetermining device and the ball collection device have been alreadyknown, the detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

In the roulette device 3 structured as described above, when a ball 27is introduced on the frame 21 by the ball insertion device, the guidewall 29 guides the ball 27 against the centrifugal force of the ball 27,thereby enabling the ball 27 to roll. When the centrifugal force isdecreased as the rotation speed of the ball 27 is lowered, the ball 27is rolled down along the inclined surface of the frame 21, is moved tothe inside and reaches the wheel 22 being rotated. The ball 27, which isrolling-introduced onto the wheel 22, passes over the numbered plates 25at the periphery of the wheel 22 and then is received in any one of thenumbered pockets 23. As a result, the number indicated on the numbereddisplay plate 25 corresponding to the numbered pocket 23 having the ball27 received therein is determined by the win determining device 86, sothat a win number is determined.

(Mechanical Structure: Server 13)

As shown in FIG. 3, the server 13 is equipped in a space opened at awall surface of the cabinet 2. The sever 13 is associated with eachstation 4. The server 13 transmits a command signal to each of thestations 4, thereby initiatively controlling each station 4 andprogressing a game. In addition, the server 13 performs a maintenanceoperation for the gaming device 1, in addition to the control on a gameof the gaming device 1.

A liquid crystal display 32 and a keyboard 33 are associated with theserver 13, as shown in FIG. 5. The liquid crystal display 32 displays amenu screen (not shown) or maintenance screen (not shown). In addition,the keyboard 33 is an operating means having several keys disposedthereon. In a state that a menu screen or maintenance screen isdisplayed on the liquid crystal display 32, when an operator operatesthe keyboard 33, the maintenance operation as well as various settingsin the gaming device 1 can be made.

(Mechanical Structure: Station 4)

As shown in FIG. 3, the station 4 has a medal insertion slot 6, acontrol unit 7 and an image display device 8. The medal insertion slot 6is used to insert money or a game medium to be used in a game such aschip, medal and the like. The control unit 7 has several operating partssuch as control button and the like. The operating parts are used toinput an instruction by a player. The image display device 8 displays animage relating to a game and has a game area that receives a betoperation of a player. Thereby, the image display device 8 enables aplayer to operate the touch panel or control unit 7 while displaying animage to the player.

The control unit 7 is disposed at a side of the image display device 8.The control unit 7 has buttons each of which is operated by a player. Tobe more specific, as shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 7 has a BETdecision button 47, a cash-out button 48 and a help button 49. The BETdecision button 47, the cash-out button 48 and the help button 49 aresequentially disposed from left, seen from a position opposite to thestation 4.

The BET decision button 47 is a button that is pushed when deciding abet after a bet operation is carried out by means of the image displaydevice 8 in a roulette game that is a second game, which will bedescribed later. Then, a bet is decided, and a win is made when the betis made on the number indicated on the numbered display plate 25corresponding to the numbered pocket 23 into which a ball 27 is receivedin the roulette unit 3 during a game. When a win is made, the creditscorresponding to the number of chips bet are added to the credits that aplayer possesses currently. In the meantime, the bet operation will bemore specifically described later. In addition, the BET decision button47 is also used as a button that is pushed to start a variable displayof symbols in a slot game that is a first game.

The cash-out button 48 is a button that is pushed typically when a gameis over. When the cash-out button 48 is pushed, the medals (typically,one medal for one credit), which correspond to the credits obtainedthrough a game and the like and currently possessed by a player, arecashed out from a medal payout slot 9. The help button 49 is a buttonthat is pushed when an operation method of a game is unclear, forexample. When the help button 49 is pushed, a help screen that displaysa variety of information on the image display device 8 is displayed.

The image display device 8 is a liquid crystal display of a touch paneltype having a touch panel 50 attached to a front thereof. When an icondisplayed on a liquid crystal screen is pushed with a finger and thelike, the icon is selected. The display screen to be displayed on theimage display device 8 will be specifically described later.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the respective stations 4 have medalpayout slots 9, speakers 10, WIN lamps 11 and microphones 16. The medalpayout slots 9 are disposed at the sides of the cabinet 2. The speakers10 are disposed above a right side of the image display device 8. TheWIN lamps 11 are disposed at sides of the speakers 10. The speakers 10are used to output a music or effect music relating to a slot game and aroulette game. The WIN lamps 11 are turned on when a bet number (“00,”“0” and “1” to “36” in this embodiment) wins in the station 4.

The microphones 16 are disposed above the control unit 7. The microphone16 enables a voice, which is uttered by a player, to be inputted. Thevoice inputted to the microphone 16 is inputted to the station 4, as avoice signal. In addition, the speaker 10 enables a reply sentencerelating to the voice inputted to the microphone 16 to be outputted as avoice.

In the meantime, the WIN lamps 11 are disposed at positions that can beseen from all the stations 4 (12 stations in this embodiment). Thereby,the WIN lamps 11 enable another player to easily check a lighting stateduring the game in the same gaming machine 1.

A medal sensor (not shown) is provided in the medal insertion slot 6.The medal sensor validates a medal inserted into the medal insertionslot 6 and counts the inserted medal. In addition, the medal payout slot9 is associated with a hopper (not shown). The hopper pays out thepredetermined number of medals from the medal payout slot 9.

(Electrical Structure: Server 13)

FIG. 5 is a block diagram that schematically shows a control system of agaming machine. As shown in FIG. 5, the gaming machine 1 includes aserver 13 and many stations 4 (12 stations in this embodiment)associated with the server 13. The server 13 is associated with theroulette unit 3 and the electric light indicator 5. In the meantime, acontrol system of the station 4 will be specifically described later.

In addition, the server 13 includes a server control CPU 81 functioningas a calculation device and control device performing an entire controlof the server 13, a ROM 82, a RAM 83, a timer 84 associated with theserver control CPU 81, a liquid crystal display 32 associated with theCPU through a liquid crystal driving circuit 85 and a keyboard 33.

The server control CPU 81 executes a variety of processes, based oninput signals supplied from the respective stations 4 and data orprogram stored in the ROM 82 and the RAM 83. Thereby, the serve controlCPU 81 transmits a command signal to the stations 4 based on executionresults of the processes, thereby initiatively controlling therespective stations 4 and progressing a game. Further, the servercontrol CPU 81 drives a drive motor provided to the roulette unit 3,thereby shooting a ball 27 or rotating the wheel 22. Furthermore, theserver control CPU 81 controls the win determining device 86, therebydetermining a win number based on a dropped position of the ball. Then,based on the win number obtained and the bet information transmittedfrom the respective stations 4, the server control CPU performs a windetermination of the chips bet and calculates the credit-number to bepaid out in each of the stations 4.

The ROM 82 consists of a semiconductor memory, for example. The ROM 82stores a program for implementing basic functions of the gaming machine1, a payout rate for a roulette game (the number of credits to be paidout per one chip when a win is made), a program for initiativelycontrolling the respective stations 4, and the like.

In addition, the ROM 82 functions as a setting device in which apredetermined language type is stored in advance. In this embodiment, asa predetermined language type is stored in the ROM 82, a predeterminedlanguage type is set. However, the invention is not limited thereto. Forexample, a predetermined language type may be set in a rewritable memorymedium through an operation from the outside or may be set through acommunication line network. In addition, a predetermined language typemay be stored in the station 4, in addition to the server 13.

The RAM 83 temporarily stores the bet information of chips to besupplied from the respective stations 4, a win number of the rouletteunit 3 determined by a sensor, a JP amount that is accumulated up tonow, data relating to a result of a process that is executed by theserver control CPU 81, and the like.

Further, the server control CPU 81 is associated with the timer 84 thatmeasures time. The time information of the timer 84 is transmitted tothe server control CPU 81. The server control CPU 81 rotates the wheel22 or introduces the ball 27, based on the time information of the timer84, which will be described later.

In addition, the server control CPU 81 is associated with the electriclight indicator 5. The server control CPU 81 controls light emission ofa light emitting means such as LED to perform an effect by an electricspectacular and to display predetermined letters on the electric lightindicator 5. Furthermore, the server control CPU 81 displays the JPamount, which is accumulated up to now, on the JP amount indicator 15 ofthe electric light indicator 5.

In addition, the ROM 82 is provided with a payout credit memory area inwhich a payout rate according to a roulette game using a BET screen 61is stored. The payout credit memory area stores data of a bet type orpayout rate in a form of a payout management table shown in FIG. 7. Thepayout management table will be specifically described later.

Furthermore, the RAM 83 is provided with a bet information memory areain which the bet information of a player who is playing a game isstored. The bet information memory area stores data of bet informationor participation object in a form of a station management table shown inFIG. 8. The station management table will be specifically describedlater. Further, the RAM 83 is provided with a win number memory area inwhich a win number of the roulette unit 3 determined by the windetermining device is stored, a JP accumulation memory area 83 in whicha pool amount having pooled 0.5% of the credits bet on a BET screen 61is stored, and the like. In the meantime, the bet information isinformation about a bet that is made using the stations 4, such as thebet area 72 indicated on the BET screen 61, the number of chips bet(bet-number) and bet type.

(Electrical Structure: Station 4)

In the followings, a structure of a control system of the station 4 willbe described. FIG. 6 is a block diagram that schematically shows acontrol system of the station according to an embodiment. In themeantime, the twelve stations 4 have a same structure, so that onestation 4 will be described as an example.

The station 4 consists of a station control unit 90 and severalperipheral devices. The station control unit 90 includes a stationcontrol CPU 91, a ROM 92 and a RAM 93. The ROM 92 consists of asemiconductor memory, for example. The ROM 92 stores a program forimplementing basic functions of the station 4, various programsnecessary for controlling the station 4, a data table and the like. Inaddition, the RAM 93 is a memory that temporarily stores various datacalculated in the station control CPU 91, the number of credits that arecurrently possessed by a player (i.e., stored in the station 4), a betsituation of chips by a player, and the like.

In addition, the station control CPU 91 is associated with a BETdecision button 47, a cash-out button 48 and a help button 49, which areequipped in the control unit 7. Based on operation signals outputted asthe respective buttons are pushed, the station control CPU 91 performs acontrol so as to execute the corresponding operations. To be morespecific, based on an input signal that is inputted from the controlunit 7 as an operation of a player is received and the data or programstored in the ROM 92 and the RAM 93, the station control CPU executes avariety of processes and transmits the results thereof to the servercontrol CPU 81. In the meantime, the station control CPU 91 receives acommand signal from the server control CPU 81, controls the peripheraldevices constituting the station 4 and progresses a slot game and aroulette game in the station 4. In addition, the station control CPU 91executes a variety of processes, based on an input signal that isinputted from the control unit 7 as an operation of a player is receivedand the data or program stored in the ROM 92 and the RAM 93, dependingon contents of process, controls the peripheral devices constituting thestation 4 based on the process results and progresses a roulette game inthe station 4.

In addition, the station control CPU 91 is associated with a hopper 94.The hopper 94 pays out the predetermined number of medals from the medalpayout slot 9 in accordance with a command signal from the stationcontrol CPU 91. Furthermore, the station control CPU 91 is associatedwith an image display device 8 through a liquid crystal driving circuit95. With regard to this, the liquid crystal driving circuit 95 consistsof a program ROM, an image ROM, an image control CPU, a work RAM, a VDP(video display processor), a video RAM and the like. The program ROMstores an image control program for display on the image display device8, a variety of selection tables and the like.

In addition, the image ROM stores dot data for forming an image to bedisplayed on the image display device 8, for example. The image controlCPU determines an image to be displayed on the image display device 8from the dot data previously stored in the image ROM, in accordance withan image control program previously stored in the program ROM, based onparameters set in the station control PCU 91. In addition, the work RAMconsists of a temporary memory means used when the image control programis executed in the image control CPU. In addition, the VDP forms animage relating to contents of display determined in the image controlCPU and outputs the image on the image display device 8. In themeantime, the video RAM consists of a temporary memory means used whenan image is formed in the VDP.

In addition, a touch panel 50 is attached on a front of the imagedisplay device 8. Operation information of the touch panel 50 istransmitted to the station control CPU 91. On the touch panel 50, aplayer makes a bet operation with chips in the BET screen 61. To be morespecific, a player operates the touch panel 50 with regard to aselection of the bet area 72, an operation of a unit BET button 61 andthe like, and the operation information is transmitted to the stationcontrol CPU 91. Based on the information, the current bet information ofa player (a bet area indicated in the BET screen 61 and the number ofchips bet) is stored in the RAM 93 at all times. Furthermore, the betinformation is transmitted to the server control CPU 81 and is stored inthe bet information memory area of the RAM 83.

Furthermore, a sound output circuit 96 and a speaker 10 are associatedwith the station control CPU 91. The speaker 10 generates a variety ofeffect sounds when performing various effects, based on an output signalfrom the sound output circuit 96.

Furthermore, a sound input circuit 98 and a microphone 16 are associatedwith the station control CPU 91. The microphone 16 is inputted with avoice from the outside and transmits the voice as a voice signal to thestation control CPU 91 through the sound input circuit 98.

In addition, a medal sensor 97 is associated with the station controlCPU 91. The medal sensor 97 detects medals inserted from the medalinsertion slot 6, calculates the inserted medals and transmits a resultthereof to the station control CPU 91. The station control CPU 91increases the credit-number possessed by a player, which is stored inthe RAM 93, based on the transmitted signal.

In addition, a WIN lamp 11 is associated with the station control CPU91. When the chip bet on the BET screen 61 is determined to make a winor JP, the station control CPU 91 turns on the WIN lamp 11 in apredetermined color.

In addition, the station control CPU 91 is associated with aconversation control device 151. The conversation control device 151outputs a reply to a player utterance and makes a conversation with aplayer. Meantime, since the conversation control device 151 has beenalready known, the detailed description thereof will be simplified. Theconversation control device 151 includes a conversation control IC 152,a voice recognition unit 153, a voice recognition dictionary memory 154,a sentence analysis unit 155, a conversation database 156, a program ROM157 for conversation, a work RAM 158 for conversation and a translationunit 159.

The program ROM 157 for conversation stores a variety of programs, suchas a program that recognizes a voice signal resulting from a playerutterance. The program is loaded on the work RAM 158 for conversationand then is executed by the conversation control IC 152.

The voice recognition dictionary memory 154 stores a character stringsignal corresponding to a standard voice signal. In addition, the voicerecognition unit 153 specifies utterance contents of a player as acharacter string signal, based on a voice signal from the microphone 16.To be more specific, when a voice signal is inputted from the microphone16, the voice recognition unit 153 compares the voice signal with adictionary stored in the voice recognition dictionary memory 154 andoutputs to the conversation control IC 152 a character string signal asa result of the voice recognition inferred from the voice signal. Forexample, when a player inputs a voice of “What number most appearstoday?” to the microphone 16, a voice signal of “What number mostappears today?” is compared with the dictionary stored in the voicerecognition dictionary memory 154 and is converted into a characterstring signal of “What number most appears today?” by the voicerecognition unit 153.

The sentence analysis unit 155 analyzes the character string specifiedin the voice recognition unit 153. The sentence analysis unit 155 isconfigured to paragraph a series of character strings specified in thevoice recognition unit 153 every one phrase. The one phrase means oneparagraph sentence in which the character string is paragraphed indetail as much as possible while not destroying a grammatical meaning.Based on the character string of one paragraphed phrase, each morphemeconstituting the minimal unit of a character string is sampled astemporary word information from the character string of the one phrase.For example, the character string signal of “what number most appearstoday?” is analyzed as a character string signal group of “what,”“number,” “most,” “appears,” “today” and “?” by the sentence analysisunit 155. Here, in this embodiment, the morpheme means the minimal unitof a word structure represented by a character string. The minimal unitof the word structure may include a part of speech, such as noun,adjective, verb and the like, for example.

The conversation database 156 stores a “keyword”, which is predicted tobe included in an utterance to be inputted from a player, in relation toa reply sentence corresponding to the “keyword.” For example, keywordsof “number,” “most,” “appears” and “today” are related to a replysentence of “X most appears.” When a character string signal group of“number,” “most,” “appears” and “today” is retrieved in the conversationdatabase 156, a reply sentence of “X most appears” is outputted. Inaddition, “X” of “X most appears” is acquired from the history datastored in the RAM 83.

The translation unit 159 is associated with the conversation control IC152. Although not shown, the translation unit 159 has a languageconversion database for each language type and a language conversionunit for each language type, so that it enables the voice and replysentence inputted from the conversation control IC 152 to be translatedinto a predetermined language type. The inputted voice and replysentence translated are transmitted as a signal to the station controlCPU through the conversation control IC and are displayed on the imagedisplay device 8.

(Data Table)

In the followings, a slot payout management table of FIG. 7 will bedescribed. The data of the slot payout management table is stored in theROM 82 of the server 13 shown in FIG. 5. The slot payout managementtable has a column of numbers, a column of symbols and a column ofpayout rates. The data of numbers such as “1,” “2,” “3” and the like arestored in the column of numbers. The data showing symbols such as“MEGA,” “MAJOR,” “MINI” and the like are stored in the column ofsymbols. The symbols will be specifically described later. The datashowing the payout rates such as “10:1,” “5:1,” “1:1” and the like arestored in the column of payout rates, correspondingly to the symbols.Thereby, when a symbol of “MEGA” is stopped in a slot game, 10 pieceswill be paid out per 1 piece bet.

In the followings, a roulette payout management table of FIG. 8 will bedescribed. The data of the roulette payout management table is stored inthe ROM 82 of the server 13 shown in FIG. 5. The roulette payoutmanagement table has a column of numbers, a column of bet types and acolumn of payout rates. The data of numbers such as “1,” “2,” “3” andthe like are stored in the column of numbers. The data showing bet typessuch as “Straight,” “Split,” “Street” and the like are stored in thecolumn of bet types. The bet types will be specifically described later.The data showing the payout rates such as “35:1,” “17:1,” “11:1” and thelike are stored in the column of payout rates, correspondingly to thebet types. Thereby, when a bet is made in a bet type of “Straight,” 35pieces will be paid out per 1 piece bet.

In the followings, a station management table of FIG. 9 will bedescribed. In the meantime, the station management table corresponds tothe bet memory 121 of FIG. 2. The station management table is stored inthe RAM 83 of the server 13 shown in FIG. 5. The station managementtable has a column of stations, a column of bet information having acolumn of bet types and a column of bet-numbers and a column ofparticipation objects. The column of stations stores the machine numberdata inherent to each station 4. The column of bet types stores the bettype data such as “Straight.” The column of bet-numbers stores thenumber of pieces bet such as “20.” The column of participation objectsstores the data showing whether a participation object has a possibilitythat a special payout will be awarded thereto. In the meantime, the “1”in the column of participation objects shows that it is set as aparticipation object and “0” shows that it is not set as a participationobject.

Thereby, for example, in the station 4 having a machine number of “1,” abet is made for each of the bet types of “Straight” and “Corner,” a betpattern has a bet-number of “20” for each bet type and it is shown theparticipation object of “1.” In addition, in the station 4 having amachine number of “2”, a bet is made for the bet type of “Red,” a betpattern has a bet-number of “15” for the bet type and it is shown thenon-participation object of “0.”

(Display States of the Image Display Device 8)

In the followings, display states of the image display device 8 will bespecifically described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12. FIG. 10 shows astate in which a player plays a slot game manually in a slot game as afirst game. On a display screen of the state, a game symbol indicator62, unit BET buttons 66 and the like are displayed. A player can operatethe unit BET button 66 displayed on the image display device 8 and theBET decision button 47, thereby betting a chip using the creditspossessed. To be more specific, after the unit BET button 66 is pushedto determine the amount of money bet, the BET decision button 47 ispushed to determine a bet.

The unit BET buttons 66 are provided for a player to bet a chip on betareas 72 (above the grids of number and mark or above lines forming agrid) indicated by the player. The unit BET buttons 66 consist of a 1BET button 66A, a 5 BET button 66B, a 10 BET button 66C and a 100 BETbutton 66D. A player first pushes the screen with a finger, therebyindicating a bet area 72, on which a bet is made, with a cursor 70. Atthis state, when the player pushes the 1 BET button 66A, the player betsa chip in a unit of one piece (whenever the 1 BET button 66A is pushedwith a finger, the bet-number is increased in an order of “1,” “2,” “3”. . . ). In addition, when the player pushes the 5 BET button 66B, theplayer bets chips in a unit of five pieces (whenever the 5 BET button66B is pushed with a finger, the bet-number is increased in an order of“5,” “10,” “15” . . . ). In addition, when the player pushes the 10 BETbutton 66C, the player bets chips in a unit of ten pieces (whenever the10 BET button 66C is pushed with a finger, the bet-number is increasedin an order of “10,” “20,” “30” . . . ). Furthermore, In addition, whenthe player pushes the 100 BET button 66D, the player can bet chips in aunit of 100 pieces (whenever the 100 BET button 66D is pushed with afinger, the bet-number is increased in an order of “100,” “200,” “300” .. . ). Accordingly, even when many chips are bet, an operation thereofcan be simplified.

A letter of “CHANGE SLOT” is displayed near to the game symbol indicator62. The game symbol indicator 62 variably displays game symbols andstops a game symbol determined, in a period for which one game symbol israndomly selected and determined among many types of game symbols. To bemore specific, as shown in FIG. 11, in a slot game, four types of imagedata, i.e., “MEGA,” “MAJOR,” “MINI” and “LOSS”, which are game symbols,are change-displayed sequentially on the game symbol indicator 62. Afterthe change-display, the game symbols are automatically stopped and apayout according to the game symbols stopped is awarded.

In the meantime, “MEGA”, “MAJOR”, “MINI” and “LOSS” indicate a payoutdegree. In other words, “MEGA” means a maximum payout-number (forexample, 100 pieces), “MAJOR” means a middle degree of a payout-number(for example, 10 pieces), “MINI” means a small degree of a payout-number(for example, one piece) and “LOSS” means no payout.

FIG. 12 shows a state in which a player plays a roulette game manuallyin a roulette game that is a second game. In the table-type bettingboard 60 that is displayed in the BET screen 61, the 38 numbers of “0,”“00,” and “1” to “36” are arranged in a grid form. In addition, specialbet areas for indicating “odd number”, “even number”, “types of colorsof numbered plates (red or black)” and “a predetermined range of numbers(for example, “1” to “12”) to bet a chip are also arranged in a gridform.

At a lower part of the table-type betting board 60, a result historyindicator 65, unit BET buttons 66, a cash-out result indicator 67 and acredit-number indicator 68 are sequentially displayed from left of thescreen. The result history indicator 65 displays, in a list form,results of win numbers up to the previous games (here, one game is aseries of operations that a player performs a bet in each of thestations 4, a ball 27 is dropped in the numbered pocket 23 and a creditis paid out based on a win number). At this time, when one game is over,a new win number is additionally displayed from top and a history ofmaximum 16 win numbers can be checked.

In addition, the cash-out result indicator 67 displays the number ofchips bet by a player in a previous game and the cash-out credit-number.Here, the subtraction of the bet-number from the cash-out credit-numberresults in a credit-number that is newly obtained by a player in aprevious game.

Furthermore, the credit-number indicator 68 displays the number ofcredits possessed by a current player. When a chip is bet, thecredit-number is decreased in proportional to the bet-number (one creditfor one bet). In addition, when the chip bet wins and the cash-out ofcredits is performed, the credit-number is increased as thecas-hout-number. In the mean time, when the credit-number possessed by aplayer is 0, the game is over.

A BET time indicator 69 is disposed above the table-type betting board60. The BET time indicator 69 displays a remaining time period for whicha player can make a bet. When a bet operation is received, “20” isdisplayed and the number is decreased by 1 every one second. When thenumber is “0,” a bet operation is not received. In addition, in each ofthe stations 4, when the bet time of the player is 5 seconds, the ballinsertion apparatus is driven to insert the ball 27 on the roulettewheel.

Furthermore, a JP indicator 73, which displays the credit-number of JPaccumulated up to now, is disposed at the right of the BET timeindicator 69. Here, the JP indicator 73 displays a value to which 0.5%of credits bet in the stations 4 is accumulatively added and is commonto all the stations 4. The credits are also common to the other gamingmachine 1 associated through a communication line (not shown) and areaccumulated from the respective stations 4 of all the gaming machines 1.When a special payout, which is carried out in combination with aroulette game under predetermined condition, is determined to win, a winof JP is determined and the credits accumulated are paid out. In themeantime, the credit-number of JP that is accumulated up to now is alsodisplayed on the JP amount indicator 15 of the electric light displayunit 5, in addition to the JP indicator 73.

In addition, a cursor 70 showing the bet area 72 selected by a player isdisplayed on the table-type betting board 60. Additionally, a chip mark71 showing the number of chips that are bet up to now and the bet area72 is displayed and the number shown on the chip mark 71 indicates thenumber of chips bet.

When a player wants to individually bet the bet elements in the BETscreen 71 structured as described above, the player indicates a bet area72 to be bet (above the grids of number and mark or above lines forminga grid) and directly pushes it with a finger. As a result, the cursor 70is moved to the bet area 72 indicated. Then, when the respective unitbuttons of the unit BET buttons 66 (1 BET button 66A, 5 BET button 66B,10 BET button 66C, 100 BET button 66D) are pushed, the chips as the unitnumber are bet on the bet area 72 indicated. For example, when the 10BET button 66C is pushed four times, the 5 BET button 66B is pushed onetime and the 1 BET button 66A is pushed three times, 48 chips can bebet.

In addition, according to this embodiment, when a player utterance isinputted to the microphone 16 in a second game, a variety of informationsuch as game information, gaming method and the like are provided. To bemore specific, as shown in FIG. 1, when a Japanese utterance of “Whatnumber most appears today?” is inputted to the microphone 16 from aplayer, a reply sentence of “5 and 33 most appear” is outputted in aJapanese voice from the speaker 10. In other words, a reply sentence isgenerated and outputted in a language type of a player. Here, a replysentence is not limited to a language type of a player. For example,reply sentences may correspond to predetermined several language typesand an English reply sentence may be outputted for the other languages.

In addition, when a player utterance is not a predetermined languagetype, the conversation contents are displayed on a conversationindicator 74 provided at a lower part of the image display device 8. Tobe more specific, regarding the above example, the information of “Whatnumber most appears today?” and the information of “5 and 33 mostappear” are displayed in an English character string on the conversationindicator 74.

Thus, a possibility that the gallery having a language type differentfrom a player who sees a game can understand the conversation contentsis increased. As a result, it is possible to further improve anentertainment characteristic.

(Bet Types)

In the followings, the bet types in the roulette game will be describedwith reference to the table-type betting board 60 of FIG. 12. Forexample, the chip mark 71 of “7”, which is put on the grid of “18”,indicates that 7 chips are bet on the number “18.” Like this, the bettype in which a bet is made on one number only is referred to as a“Straight bet.”

The chip mark 71 of “1”, which is put on an intersection of the grids of“5,” “6,” “8” and “9”, indicates that one chip is bet while covering thefour numbers of “5,” “6,” “8” and “9.” Like this, the bet type in whicha bet is made while covering the four numbers is referred to as a“Corner bet.”

In addition, there is a bet type of “Split bet” in which a bet is madewhile covering two numbers above a line between the two numbers. Inaddition, there is a bet type of “Street bet” in which a bet is madewhile covering three numbers (for example, “13,” “14” and “15”) at endsof the one row of the numbers (one column in the vertical direction). Inaddition, there is a bet type of “Five bet” in which a bet is made whilecovering five numbers of “0,” “00,” “1,” “2” and “3” above a linebetween “00” and “3.”

There is a bet type of “Line bet” in which a bet is made while coveringsix numbers (for example, “13,” “14,” “15,” “16,” “17” and “18”) betweentwo rows of the numbers (two columns in the vertical direction). Thereis a bet type of “Column bet” in which a bet is made while covering 12numbers above the grid of “2 to 1”. There is a bet type of “Dozen bet”in which a bet is made while covering 12 numbers above the grids of “1st12,” “2nd 12” and “3rd 12”, respectively.

Furthermore, there is a bet type of “Red or Black bet” in which a bet ismade on the color of the numbered plate (“red” or “black”) using the sixgrids provided at the lowest end of the table-type betting board 60.There is a bet type of “Odd or Even bet” in which a bet is made on theodd or even numbers. There is a bet type of “Low or High bet” in which abet is made while 18 numbers using the numbers of 18 or less or 19 ormore. Here, the bet types have different payouts (payout rates) of thecredits per one chip, which are awarded when the chip bet is determinedto win.

(Processing Operations)

In the followings, the operations will be described, based on a gameprocessing program of the server that is executed by means of the servercontrol CPU 81 of the gaming machine 1, and a game processing program ofthe station that is executed by the station control CPU 91 of thestation 4. In the meantime, the respective programs that are shown inflow charts are stored in the ROM 82 or RAM 83 of the server 13 or theROM 92 or RAM 93 of the station 4 and executed by the server control CPU81 or station control CPU 91.

(First Game Process that is Performed in the Station)

In the followings, a first game process that is performed by the stationcontrol CPU 91 in the station will be described with reference to FIG.13. Firstly, it is determined whether a medal or bill is inserted by aplayer, based on a detection signal of the medal sensor 97 (S1). When amedal or bill is not inserted (S1, NO), this routine is ended, the stepof S1 is repeatedly executed and a wait state is kept until a medal orbill is inserted.

In the meantime, when a medal or bill is inserted (S1, YES), the creditdata of an amount of money corresponding to the number of piecesinserted is recorded in the RAM 93, so that the credit is added (S2).

Then, as shown in FIG. 10, the game symbol indicator 62, the unit BETbuttons 66 and the like are displayed on the image display device 8 ofthe station 4, and a player can push the unit BET buttons 66 to bet achip (S3). Then, it is determined whether the BET decision button 47 ispushed or not (S4). When the BET decision button 47 is not pushed (S4,NO), a wait state is made and the step of S4 is repeated. When the BETdecision button 47 is pushed (S4, YES), a variable display of a slotimage is started on the game symbol indicator 62 (S5), as shown in FIG.11. In addition, here, the amount of money bet by a player is stored inthe RAM 93. To be more specific, as shown in FIG. 11, the image data offour types, i.e., “MEGA,” “MAJOR,” “MINI” and “LOSS” are sequentiallychange-displayed on the game symbol indicator 62. After that, thevariable display of the slot image is automatically stopped (S6) and apayout according to the game symbols stopped is awarded (S7).

After that, it is determined whether the amount of money bet is 20pieces or more (S8). To be more specific, in order to determine whetherthe amount of money bet is 20 pieces or more, the amount of money betstored in the RAM 93 is referred to. When the amount of money bet is not20 pieces or more (S8, NO), this routine is ended. When the amount ofmoney bet is 20 pieces or more (S8, YES), a second game lottery iscarried out (S9). To be more specific, a random number within a range of0 to 255 is sampled by a random number sampling program (not shown).Then, it is determined whether a win is determined or not (S10). To bemore specific, when a remainder resulted by the selected random numberdivided by 8 is 0, a second game is determined to win. Here, the winmeans permitting an execution of a second game. In addition, when aremainder resulted by the selected random number divided by 8 is not 0,an execution of a second game is not permitted. When a second game isnot determined to win (S10, NO), this routine is ended. When a secondgame is determined to win (S10, YES), a second game flag is set “ON”(S11) and this routine is ended.

Like this, the slot game, which is a first game, is a game that can beindependently executed in the station 4. Meantime, in this embodiment, acondition of starting a second game in a first game is such that a betis made with the amount of money of 20 pieces or more. However, theinvention is not limited thereto. In addition, in this embodiment, thefirst game is a slot game. However, the invention is not limitedthereto.

(Second Game Process that is Performed in the Station)

In the followings, a second game process that is performed by thestation control CPU 91 in the station will be described with referenceto FIG. 14. The second game process that is performed in the station isexecuted before the first game process is performed in the station.

First, it is determined whether the second game flag is “ON” or not(A1). As described above, the second game flag is stored in the RAM 93and is set “ON” when a predetermined condition is satisfied in the firstgame of the previous time. When the second game flag is not “ON” (A1,NO), this routine is ended. When the second game flag is “ON” (A1, YES),it is determined whether a player inserts a medal or bill, based on adetection signal of the medal sensor 97 (A2). When a medal or bill isnot inserted (A2, NO), the second game flag is set “OFF” (A13) and thisroutine is ended.

In the mean time, when a medal or bill is inserted (A2, YES), the creditdata of an amount of money corresponding to the number of piecesinserted is recorded in the RAM 93, so that the credit is added (A3).Then, a medal detection signal indicating that a medal or bill isinserted is transmitted to the server 13 (A4).

After that, in the image display device 8 of the station 4, the BETscreen 61 of FIG. 12 is displayed and a bet time is started for which aplayer can bet a chip (A5). Then, a bet operation is received (A6).Thereby, a player who takes part in a game can operate the touch panel50 during the bet time for which a bet can be received, thereby bettinga chip on a BET area 72 relating to a number that the player predicts.Meantime, since the detailed bet type using the BET screen 61 has beenalready explained, the descriptions thereof will be omitted.

In addition, the player can take part in a game in the course of thegame after the bet time is started. In the gaming machine 1 of thisembodiment, maximum 12 players can play a game. Furthermore, when thistime game is carried out following the previous game, a bet operation isreceived just after the previous game is over.

When a bet operation is performed, a bet information signal includingthe contents of the bet operation is transmitted to the server 13 (A7).After that, it is determined whether the bet time is over (A8). When thebet time is not over (A8, NO), the process progresses to the step of A6and the reception state of a bet operation is sustained. When a bet timeend signal is received from the server 13, an image indicating that thebet time is over is displayed on the image display device 8 of thestation 4 and the reception of a bet operation on the touch panel 50 isended (A9).

Then, when a win number signal, which is a game result of the roulettegame, is received from the server 13, a display process of emphasizingthe win number is performed, so that an effect for notifying the winingnumber in the roulette game is carried out (A10). Then, when a payoutresult signal is received from the server 13, the credits are paid outbased on the payout result signal. To be more specific, the credit dataof a base payout or special payout is recorded in the RAM 93,respectively. Then, when the cash-out button 48 is pushed, the medalsaccording to the credit-number currently stored in the RAM 93 are cashedout from the medal payout slot 9 (A11). Then, a wait state is kept untila unit game is over (A12), and this routine is ended.

(Second Game Process that is Performed in the Server)

In the followings, a second game process that is performed by the severcontrol CPU 81 in the server will be described with reference to FIG.15. It is determined whether a player inserts a coin or bill byreceiving a medal detection signal transmitted from the station 4 (B1).When a medal detection signal is not received (B1, NO), this routine isended. Thereby, the step of B1 is repeated until a medal and the like isinserted in the station 1.

When a medal and the like is inserted in the station 3 (B1, YES), it isstarted a measure of a bet time period that is a reception period forwhich a player can make a bet, from the time at which the first playerinserts a medal or bill (B2). In the meantime, when this time game isexecuted following the previous game, a bet time is started just afterthe previous game is over. A player who takes part in a game can operatethe touch panel 50 for the bet time period, thereby betting the chips onthe bet area 72 related to the number that the player expects.

Then, it is determined whether the remaining bet time is 5 seconds (B3).In the meantime, the remaining bet time is also displayed on the imagedisplay apparatus 8 by means of the BET time indicator 69. When it isdetermined that the remaining bet time does not 5 seconds (B3, NO), thestep of S3 is re-executed, so that the wait state is kept until theremaining bet time is 5 seconds. Meantime, when it is determined thatthe remaining bet time is 5 seconds (B3, YES), a roulette lotteryprocess is executed in the roulette unit 3.

To be more specific, the ball insertion apparatus is driven, so that theball 27 is inserted into the roulette wheel (B4). Then, the drivingmotor is driven, so that the wheel 22 is rotated at a predeterminedrotation speed in a direction opposite to the ball insertion direction.The inserted ball 27 rolls on the roulette wheel along the guide wall29. Then, when the rotation speed is lowered and the centrifugal forceis thus reduced, the ball is dropped along the inclined surface of theframe 21 and thus reaches the wheel 22 being rotated (refer to FIG. 4).The ball 27, which reaches the wheel 22, continues to pass over thenumbered display plates 25 at the periphery of the wheel 22 and isintroduced into one of the numbered pockets 23 and the number (any oneof “00,” “0” and “1” to “36” in FIG. 4) shown on the numbered displayplate 25 corresponding to the numbered pocket 23 into which the ball 27is introduced becomes a win number.

When the roulette lottery process is carried out as described above, abet information signal is received from the station 4 (B5). Thebet-number and the bet type included in the bet information signal areregistered in the station management table (B6). Then, it is determinedwhether the bet time is over (B7). When it is determined that the bettime is not over (B7, NO), the wait state continues until the bet timeis over. In the meantime, when it is determined that the bet time isover (B7, YES), a bet time end signal is transmitted to the station 4(B8).

Then, a jackpot accumulation process is executed (B9) To be morespecific, the bet information made by a player in each of the stations4, i.e., the information of the indicated bet area 72 and the number ofchips (bet-number) bet on the indicated bet area 72 and the bet type isreceived and stored in the bet information memory area of the RAM 83.Then, the credits, which correspond to 0.5% of the total credits bet inthe respective stations 4, are accumulated and added to the JP amountthat is recorded in the JP accumulation memory area 83V of the RAM 83.Correspondingly to this, the display of the JP amount indicator 15 andthe JP indicator 73 is updated.

Then, when the ball 27 is received in the numbered pocket 23 in theroulette unit 3, the win determining device 86 is driven. Then, it isdetermined which numbered pocket 23 the ball 27 is received. Thereby, itis detected a win number of the roulette unit 3 in this time game (B10).

Then, the win number signal including the information of the win numberis transmitted to the respective stations 4 (B11). Then, the betinformation and the win number of the respective stations 4 are used todetermine whether the chips bet in the respective stations 4 win or not(B12). Continuously, a payout calculation process is executed. In thepayout calculation process, the win chips bet on the win number arerecognized in each station 4 and a sum of the payouts of the credits tobe paid out to the respective stations 4 is calculated with the payoutrates for each bet area 72, which are stored in the ROM 82 in a payoutmanagement table form of FIG. 8, i.e., the credit-number to be paid outper one chip (one bet) (B13)

Then, it is executed a process of transmitting a payout result signalincluding a payout result of the credits of the roulette game, based onthe payout calculation process. To be more specific, the payout resultsignal including the credit data of a base payout corresponding to thepayout amount of the roulette game is transmitted to the station controlCPU 91 of the station 4 that wins in the roulette game (B14).

Then, the ball collection device provided below the wheel 22 is driven,so that the ball 27 on the wheel 22 is collected. The collected ball 27will be inserted in the wheel 22 of the roulette unit 3 in a next ormore game (B15). Then, a unit game end signal is transmitted to thestation 4 (B16) and this routine is ended.

Like this, a second game in which a reply sentence relating to a playervoice can be outputted is limited to a case where a predeterminedcondition is satisfied in a first game. As a result, since it ispossible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which the gaming machine1 is equipped, it is possible to further improve a new entertainmentcharacteristic that a reply sentence based on a player voice isoutputted.

(Conversation Control Process)

In the followings, a conversation control process that is executed bythe station control CPU 91 will be described with reference to FIG. 16.First, it is determined whether a voice uttered by a player is inputtedto the microphone 16 (D1). When a voice uttered by a player is notinputted to the microphone 16 (D1, NO), this routine is ended. When avoice uttered by a player is inputted to the microphone 16 (D1, YES), itis determined whether a second game flag stored in the RAM 93 is “ON” ornot (D2). When a second game flag is not “ON” (D2, NO), this routine isended. In other words, when a second game flag is not “ON,” a secondgame is not executed. Accordingly, a reply sentence relating to a playervoice is prohibited from being generated.

In the meantime, when a second game flag is “ON” (D2, YES), a voiceuttered by a player is stored as a voice signal (hereinafter, referredto as an utterance voice signal) in the work RAM 158 for conversation(D3). Then, a language type of a player is determined, based on theutterance voice signal uttered by the player (D4). Then, a replysentence relating to the utterance voice signal is generated in alanguage type of the player (D5). Here, the reply sentence istemporality stored in the work RAM 158 for conversation. Then, it isdetermined whether the utterance voice signal is a predeterminedlanguage type preset (D6). When the utterance voice signal is apredetermined language type (D6, YES), the reply sentence stored in thework RAM 158 for conversation is outputted as a voice (D10).

In the meantime, when the utterance voice signal is not a predeterminedlanguage type (D6, NO), the utterance voice signal is translated into apredetermined language type (English, in this embodiment) and isdisplayed on the conversation indicator 74 of the image display device 8(D7), as shown in FIG. 12. Then, the reply sentence stored in the workRAM 158 for conversation is outputted as a voice (D8). Here, the replysentence to be outputted is made in a language type of the player. Afterthat, the reply sentence translated into the predetermined language typeis displayed on the conversation indicator 74 of the image displaydevice 8 (D9) and this routine is ended.

Like this, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where a second game is being executed, and the replysentence is outputted in a language type of a player. As a result, sinceit is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which the gamingmachine is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence is outputted in alanguage type of a player with respect to the player voice.

In addition, when a language type of a player is different from apredetermined language type, a player voice and a reply sentence theretoare translated and displayed on the image display device 8 functioningas a display device. As a result, it is possible to further improve anew entertainment characteristic.

Like this, an output of a reply sentence relating to a player voice islimited to a case where a second game is being executed. As a result,since it is possible to limit the noise of a game arcade in which thegaming machine 1 is equipped, it is possible to further improve a newentertainment characteristic that a reply sentence based on a playervoice is outputted.

Although the above descriptions have been provided with regard to thecharacteristic parts so as to understand the invention more easily, theinvention is not limited to the embodiment as described above and can beapplied to the other embodiments and the applicable scope should beconstrued as broadly as possible. Furthermore, the terms and phraseologyused in the specification have been used to correctly illustrate theinvention, not to limit it. In addition, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that the other structures, systems, methods and thelike included in the spirit of the invention can be easily derived fromthe spirit of the invention described in the specification. Accordingly,it should be considered that the invention covers equivalent structuresthereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in the following claims. Further, the abstract is provided sothat an intellectual property office and a general public institution orone skilled in the art who is not familiar with patent and legal orprofessional terminology can quickly analyze the technical features andessences of the invention through a simple investigation. Accordingly,the abstract is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thatshould be evaluated by the claims. In addition, it is required tosufficiently refer to the documents that have been already disclosed, soas to fully understand the objects and effects of the invention.

The above descriptions include a process that is executed on a computeror computer network. The above descriptions and expressions have beenprovided so that the one skilled in the art can understand the inventionmost effectively. In the specification, the respective steps used toinduce one result or blocks having a predetermined processing functionshould be understood as a process having no self-contradiction. Inaddition, the electrical or magnetic signal is transmitted/received andwritten in the respective steps or blocks. Although the processes in therespective steps or blocks embody the signal as a bit, value, symbolcharacter, term, number and the like, it should be noted that these havebeen used for the convenience of descriptions. Further, although theprocesses in the respective steps or blocks have been often described asan expression common to a human action, the process described in thespecification is executed by a variety of devices in principle. Inaddition, the other structures necessary for the respective steps orblocks are apparent from the above descriptions.

1. A gaming machine comprising: a conversation generation device thatrecognizes a player voice and generates a reply sentence based on therecognized voice; a plurality of gaming terminals each of which has aninput device to which a voice is inputted and an output device thatoutputs a voice; a first game that is executed based on an operation ofeach player in each of the gaming terminals; a second game that isexecuted so that the each player is able to participate in the secondgame simultaneously; and a controller that operates: (a1) to execute thefirst game; (a2) to execute the second game only in the gaming terminalin which an execution result of the first game has met a predeterminedcondition; (a3) when the first game is executed, to prohibit an outputof the reply sentence by the conversation generation device; and (a4)when the second game is executed, in the event that the player voice isinputted to the input device, to enable the conversation generationdevice to generate the reply sentence based on the player voice, and tooutput the reply sentence as a voice from the output device of thegaming terminal to which the player voice is inputted.
 2. A gamingmachine comprising: a determination device that recognizes a playervoice and determines a language type of the player from the voicerecognized; a conversation generation device that generates a replysentence according to the language type, based on the player voice; aplurality of gaming terminals each of which has an input device to whicha voice is inputted and an output device that outputs a voice; a firstgame that is executed based on an operation of each player in each ofthe gaming terminals; a second game that is executed so that therespective players are able to participate in the second game at thesame time; and a controller that operates: (b1) to execute the firstgame; (b2) to execute the second game only in the gaming terminal inwhich an execution result of the first game has met a predeterminedcondition; (b3) when the first game is executed, to prohibit an outputof the reply sentence by the conversation generation device; and (b4)when the second game is executed, in the event that the player voice isinputted to the input device, to enable the determination device todetermine a language type of the player from the voice inputted, and theconversation generation device to generate the reply sentence accordingto the language type of the player based on the voice, and to output thereply sentence as a voice from the output device of the gaming terminalto which the player voice is inputted.
 3. A gaming machine comprising: adetermination device that recognizes a player voice and determines alanguage type of the player from the voice recognized; a conversationgeneration device that generates a reply sentence according to thelanguage type, based on the player voice; a setting device that sets apredetermined language type in advance; a translation device thattranslates the language type into the predetermined language type; aplurality of gaming terminals each of which has a display device thatdisplays an image, an input device to which a voice is inputted and anoutput device that outputs a voice; a first game that is executed basedon an operation of each player in each of the gaming terminals; a secondgame that is executed so that the each player is able to participate inthe second game simultaneously; and a controller that operates: (c1) toexecute the first game; (c2) to execute the second game only in thegaming terminal in which an execution result of the first game has met apredetermined condition; (c3) when the first game is executed, toprohibit an output of the reply sentence by the conversation generationdevice; (c4) when the second game is executed, in the event that theplayer voice is inputted to the input device, to enable thedetermination device to determine a language type of the player from thevoice inputted, and to enable the translation device to translate theplayer voice into the predetermined language type and to display it onthe display device when the language type of the player determined isdifferent from the predetermined language type; and (c5) to enable theconversation generation device to generate the reply sentence accordingto the language type of the player based on the player voice, to outputthe reply sentence as a voice from the output device of the gamingterminal to which the player voice is inputted, to enable thetranslation device to translate the reply sentence and to display it onthe display device.
 4. A control method of a gaming machine using aconversation generation device that recognizes a player voice andgenerates a reply sentence based on the recognized voice; a plurality ofgaming terminals each of which has an input device to which a voice isinputted and an output device that outputs a voice; a first game that isexecuted based on an operation of each player in each of the gamingterminals; and a second game that is executed so that the each player isable to participate in the second game simultaneously, the methodcomprising the steps of: executing the first game; executing the secondgame only in the gaming terminal in which an execution result of thefirst game has met a predetermined condition; when the first game isexecuted, prohibiting an output of the reply sentence by theconversation generation device; and when the second game is executed, inthe event that the player voice is inputted to the input device,enabling the conversation generation device to generate the replysentence based on the player voice, and outputting the reply sentence asa voice from the output device of the gaming terminal to which theplayer voice is inputted.